Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested three car thieves in separate operations in Ughelli and Asaba axis of the state.
The arrest followed series of reported cases of vehicles either snatched or removed from where they were parked in Asaba, Warri, Ughelli, and environs.
With a directive from the Commissioner of Police, Delta State, CP Wale Abass, to Area Commanders and DPOs to nip the trend in the bud or face sanctions, the DPO Ughelli Division, closely supervised by the Area Commander, Ughelli, ACP Adebayo Ademola, on June 15, arrested Phillip Ekugbe and Onome Erikefe, both of Ekpan community, Effurun.
The duo were said to be specialists in snatching vehicles from Warri and its environs, taking them to Ughelli where they dismember and sell the vehicle parts.
Seven vehicles recovered, including one Toyota Corolla with reg. no. AJ 638 EFR, Toyota Carina with reg. no. WW 748 SL, Toyota Corolla with reg. no. DU 60 LSR, Toyota corolla with reg. no. WWR 799 AE, Toyota Corolla with reg. no. KSF 758 DC and one unregistered Nissan car.
Dismembered vehicle parts recovered from the suspects were 74 vehicle tyres, 16 vehicle engines, eight gear boxes, 15 motor batteries and two motorcycle engines.
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The third suspected car snatcher, Emmanuel Chidera, who’s a car wash attendant, was arrested on June 14 around Magistrate Court area in Asaba, the state capital on a tip-off.
The suspect stole a car, Benz GLK 350, from the car wash where he’s an attendant along Mariam Babangida Way in Asaba where the owner had brought it for washing on May 30.
On receiving a distress call from the owner who, after returning didn’t meet his car, the DPO GRA Division, Asaba, CSP Spencer Tyozua, detailed detectives to embark on an intelligence led investigation which paid off as the 22-year-old suspect was arrested.
Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed that he had taken the car to Benin City, Edo State where he intended to sell the car which has been recovered and efforts are on to arrest his accomplices.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bright Edafe, who confirmed the arrests in a statement on Sunday, quoted
CP Abass as commending and urging DPOs and Area Commanders to sustain the heat on criminals in the state, while appealing to Deltans to trust and assist the police.
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